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St. Catharines Public Library may be a little too successful in getting people to return books on time.

Library CEO Lilita Stripnieks told the budget standing committee Wednesday that the library is losing revenue year to year on overdue book fines.

“Because we are very efficient with respect to notifying people of their holds and their overdues, we are losing money in those particular revenue streams,” she said.

The library isn’t enjoying photocopying revenues the way it used to either because patrons are using their smartphones to make copies, she said.

Library officials were making a presentation to the committee about the proposed 2018 budget.

They requested an increase from the city of 2.5 per cent over 2017 for a total contribution of $5.6 million.

Stripnieks said operating expenditures have increased 3.4 per cent over the previous year due to increases in salaries and benefits, library materials, occupancy costs and general supplies and services.

In particular, the library filled a new building superintendent position for its four branch locations and staffed another vacant position.

It’s also dealing with the province-wide increase in minimum wage which will affect 35 employees that clocked 14,000 of employment in 2017. Library business administrator Jack Foster said they’re cutting 2,000 hours of work out of the 2018 budget to try and balance it.

The U.S. dollar also impacted the budget by affecting the cost of library materials which are purchased from American publishers. Stripnieks said the library has 28 per cent less purchasing power because of the exchange rate.

She said the challenge ahead with the lower Canadian dollar is maintaining library collections at current levels.

The budget committee asked library officials to return with a detailed breakdown of revenues, salaries and benefits and the minimum wage increases.